Play Moonlighting For Me
by Sue3
Summary: Maddie and David have been married for 11 years but they're not exactly living happily ever after
1. Default Chapter

First, the disclaimer stuff

First, the disclaimer stuff. Obviously these characters do not belong to me. This is for entertainment purposes only.

This story take place in the present or close to it. In my virtual world, Blue Moon never closed and Maddie and David eventually came to their senses and got married.

The Stevie Nicks quotes are from her CD, _Trouble in Shangri La,_ which I listened to a lot while I was writing this. 

This is my first stab at this fan fiction thing. I hope you enjoy it.

I also realize it's hard to picture Maddie in a minivan, but she has kids now and can you really picture her in a Suburban?

****

Play Moonlighting For Me

Part I

__

Well once more I tell the shadows of my soul to stay back

Everything has changed now

And I don't want to go back

--Stevie Nicks

The scene is an upscale suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles on a sunny summer morning. The camera pans down a wide street showing expansive green lawns, manicured landscaping and plenty of SUV's parked in driveways. We zero in on one house in particular. It is a two story Tudor, with ivy climbing up the chimney and landscaping right off the cover of _House Beautiful_. It is tastefully appointed and immaculate inside and out, the only hint of habitation a child's bike laying on the lawn and a Town and Country minivan sitting in the circular drive.

Inside the front door we hear voices and the sound of a Nintendo game being played very loudly, one of the voices getting shriller by the moment.

"Grace Virginia Addison! Turn that thing off before I throw it out!" 

Madelyn Hayes Addison appears, coming into the living room from the kitchen, not quite the glamour queen any longer, but still gorgeous, of course. She is in modest white walking shorts and a sky blue sleeveless cotton blouse tied in front. Her silky blond hair is styled in a short blunt cut now because she doesn't have much time for primping in the morning. She can curl it if she wants or just wash it and go like she's done today. She has put on a few extra pounds, of which she is very self-conscious, but she hides it well. She is pushing 50, but still vibrant, healthy and beautiful. 

"Do you want to go on a picnic with your little brother and me or do you want to sit around all day playing these silly video games... no wait, don't answer that. I am not giving you a choice, young lady. Turn that off and get your shoes and let's go. Agnes and the kids will be here any minute," Maddie demands.

"Jeez, Mom, chill! Let me just finish this level and I'll be ready. Agnes isn't even here yet," Grace responds.

The child hasn't taken her eyes from the game and is contorting her facial expressions and moving her entire body with the controller. Maddie looks at the screen and sees she's playing some skateboarding game. Well, at least she's not killing anything.

Maddie returns to the kitchen mumbling under her breath, "Remind you of anyone _else_ you know and love, Maddie?"

Even though she is frustrated with her ten year old daughter right now, she can't help but smile as she thinks how much this child resembles David in so many ways. She has her mother's icy blue eyes and patrician features but has David's dark hair, definitely his sense of humor and personality, and that smirk of a smile. 

We see Maddie remembering back to Grace's birth...

As soon as Maddie and David were able to hold her, _that_ grin came over her face. Maddie had laughed and loved her child with all her heart from that moment, no matter what all the prenatal books said about bonding taking "a few weeks". David had said that maybe the grin meant gas, babies weren't supposed to actually be able to smile at birth. But as Maddie had looked up at her husband and seen that same grin on _his_ face, she knew it wasn't gas. And she also knew her life was never going to be uncomplicated again. Not with _two_ Addisons in her life.

She stops her reverie and starts packing a large picnic basket with sandwiches, juice, carrot sticks and fruit.

Just then, Grace walks into the kitchen, whistling. She stops when she sees what her mother is putting in the picnic basket.

Pleadingly, she says, "Mom, is that all healthy junk? Can't you just forget for once that you're a mom and put some Oreos in there? Please? Children have needs!"

Maddie gives her a stern look, then relents.

"OK, honey, if you go get your brother up from his nap and get him dressed for the picnic, we'll stop for ice cream on the way home. Fair enough?"

"Now you're talking, Blon.....Mom. OK, I'll go wake up the munchkin," Grace says as she exits the kitchen running, whistling again.

"And thanks for not calling me Blondie," Maddie yells after her. Grace is definitely David Addison's daughter, no doubt about it. 

This leads to another walk down Maddie's memory lane. When Grace started kindergarten, Maddie and David had attended "Meet the Teacher" night at her school. Grace had walked into the classroom like she owned the place, her parents in tow. The teacher had been a little flustered as she had been a fan of Maddie's in her modeling days and she also thought David was hot. As Maddie looked at her ogling David, she felt proud to be his wife, but somewhat miffed that this woman was fawning all over her husband. Then Grace had introduced her mother to the teacher as "Blondie". After David's laughter died down, he explained to his little girl that mommy's name wasn't Blondie, it was Madelyn. Grace had looked at him in total irritation and said she knew mommy's name but she just wanted to "lighten things up a little".

The doorbell rings. Maddie brushes her hands off and leaves her spotless professional kitchen (which she takes much pride in the fact she can actually use now) to answer the door. This house is decorated in a much more casual style than her showplace from her modeling days. It is warm and leans toward being French country. There is sophistication in her color choices of blue toile and yellow and cream accents. But the house looks comfortable, lived in, nothing cool and contemporary in sight.

She hears Agnes talking to her two boys on the other side of the front door, 11 year old Bert Jr. (how original) and 5 year old Mikey, who Maddie has always thought looks an awful lot like Magillicuddy.

"Will you two stop fighting! I'm going to go back to work and put you both in daycare for the rest of your lives!"

Maddie opens the door to Agnes holding both boys by their collars, attempting to divide them. She's very frazzled even for Agnes.

"Hi, we're here!"

Maddie looks disapprovingly at the boys. "Would you two please be nice to your mother and not fight this afternoon. She deserves a break."

Both boys eye each other and sneer.

Maddie shakes her head, feeling a very weird case of deja vu.

Maddie ushers them all into the foyer. "Come on in. We're almost ready."

Just then Grace comes bounding down the stairs, saying hi to her friends and doing her best Yogi Bear impersonation for her little brother.

"Hey Boo Boo, would you like to go on a pic-a-nic?" 3 year old A.J. (Alexander James) follows her, carefully holding the handrail and watching his step. His blond curls bounce with every step he takes. He's concentrating too hard on getting to the bottom of the stairs to be amused by his sister. He gets to the bottom, and goes to Maddie's side, grabs her leg and sticks his thumb into his mouth. Maddie picks him up and kisses his cheek.

"Hey, big guy. How was your nap? Are you ready to go on a fun picnic?"

He nods sleepily and puts his head on his mother's shoulder.

"Well, I can see he's pretty excited. Let's get this show on the road! Oh, don't forget sunscreen."

Everyone piles into Maddie's Town and Country, as Maddie and Agnes pack food, blankets, beach umbrellas, baseball stuff, Frisbees, a soccer ball and roller blades into the back.

They arrive at a neighborhood park, the kids scrambling out of the side of the van, with Maddie and Agnes right behind them pouring sunscreen in to their hands and pleading frantically for their children to come back and put some on. The children are, of course, ignoring them completely. They lay a blanket under a large tree and sit down, giving up on the kids for a minute.

"Oh well, at least the playground is shaded. 

I wish we'd known about sun danger when we were kids. It's amazing we don't all have skin cancer. I remember actually putting Crisco on my skin to get a darker tan," Maddie exclaims. 

Agnes is shaking her head. "Not me. I stayed indoors where it was dark and cool."

Maddie gives her a look like what a totally Agnes thing to say.

"Well that's why your skin is so lovely now, Agnes. You never fried it!"

"Well, you're one to talk Maddie. You still look like a cover girl".

"Thanks Agnes. We're both holding up pretty well. Must be all that clean living over the years."

"Yeah, right. And our simple, undemanding spouses!" Agnes laughs.

They giggle, as they sit crossed legged on one of the blankets, watching their children play on the playground. Sometimes Maddie can't believe she and Agnes are such close friends now. They're so different. But they also have a great deal in common. A LOT of shared history; no one has more insight into Maddie and David's relationship than Agnes. They also have children of similar ages; going through pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and potty training together has really bonded them.

Maddie stretches out and lies down in the shade. Agnes looks down at her and asks, 

"What's with you today? You are so quiet."

"You know, Agnes, I've been taking an inventory of my life. And I still can't believe it. You know, the way we live our lives now. So sedate, so conventional. I never thought David and I were capable of this. When I think about how crazy we used to make each other..." 

She frowns, shaking her head. She's remembering back to another time, which seems like another lifetime ago. Standing in a laundromat in the middle of the night telling David, _If this is love, I'll live without it._ She shivers, thinking how awful life would be if they hadn't given each other a second chance, without these two children that mean more to her than anything else ever could. 

She knows she could have married worse. She definitely could have married better. But she doesn't think there's another man on the face of the planet who could live with her and who she could live with on a day-to-day basis. Their relationship is still complicated, but lately there has been a truce of sorts and things are on a much more even keel. OK, so every night isn't spent making love, every day's not exciting, so life is routine now. The kids need stability. _I_ need stability, she thinks to herself.

"Yeah, those were crazy times, way back when. But once you have kids everything changes," Agnes agrees.

Maddie doesn't respond. She just sits beside Agnes, watching the kids, enjoying the brief quiet. 

Agnes kept working at Blue Moon for a few years after Bert Jr. was born. Maddie herself had quit coming in to work soon after she became pregnant with Grace. Since her first pregnancy had ended so tragically, she and David didn't want to take a chance this time, and after Grace came along she found she had no interest in going back to work. Besides, she has very strong feelings about children being raised in day care. She knows there's no substitute for having strong, loving parents at home with a child. She had great role models for parents, and her children deserve the same. 

After Maddie left the agency, David had been very disappointed with her decision, but he eventually adjusted. He started depending on Bert so much that he ultimately made him a partner and gave him his own office. He even let Bert start calling him "Dave". Now Bert called him "Dave" every chance he got. That had been more than Magillicuddy could handle and he quit shortly after that. 

Agnes had quit working when she became pregnant with Mikey, even though she told Maddie that Bert had a low sperm count and chances were they wouldn't have more children. Maddie looks at fair haired, fair skinned Mikey playing on the swings, sticking his tongue out at his brother. The thought that he sure doesn't look like either one of his parents has been nagging her for years. She looks at Agnes innocently sitting beside her...

Naaaah, she thinks.

"So, what do you think our boys have been up to at work lately? I've hardly seen David for the last month."

Agnes looks confused. Not an uncommon sight. "I don't know. Actually, Bert has been home every night in time for dinner. Maybe they're working separate cases."

Maddie nods. "I suppose." Come to think of it, he's been somewhat stressed and distracted when he _is_ around the house. I think I'll plan a special evening for us tonight. She mulls over asking him about what he's working on that would take up so much time away from his family.

Pretty soon, the children are hungry and crawling over each other trying to be first in the basket. They have lunch, more play time, then pack everything back in the minivan and head for ice cream. 

Later we see them driving home. Maddie observes that all her passengers are nodding off, even Agnes. She hits a button on the steering wheel which turns on the cd player, turns the volume down low and hits the selection button until she finds her current favorite Stevie Nicks song. A small smile comes to her as she listens and hums along: 

__

Don't keep me hanging on a string

Tell me what I feel is no big thing

Don't turn away I'm listening

Over and over again

__

Don't give me visions to explain

There are no doubts I feel the strain

Of all my senses yearning

Over and over again

Every day I see you

Every day I need you

Every way I breathe you

On and on and on and on again

It's not important to wonder why

What is just is no more to imply

This simple thought repeating

Over and over again

Every day I see you

Every day I need you

Every way I breathe you

On and on and on and on again

Imagine all the ways to cope

I close my eyes that gives me hope

It cures the silence

Every day...

As the refrain continues, Maddie contentedly drives down the road in her minivan, thinking how happy she is with her life.

***

David pulls into the driveway of their house. He doesn't kill the engine right away. He's got the stereo blaring 60's R&B music, but at least today, he's not belting out the songs. Just then, Stevie Wonder's _"I Was Made To Love Her"_ starts, and he appears to be listening to it very intently, with a sad wistful look on his face, staring at the house. His face has aged to a rugged handsomeness, and he's got a few wrinkles and a lot less hair. But he's still hot.

__

"I was made to love her, build my world all around her..."

"Yeah, you got that right, Stevie," he whispers as he gazes at the gold wedding band on his finger. "So, what's the problem?" 

Slowly he turns the key, turns off the radio and turns to retrieve his briefcase.

Next we see Maddie and Agnes arriving home. After saying their goodbyes, Maddie notices David's new racy red BMW roadster in the drive. He's home early she thinks. She shrugs, opens the side door of the minivan, and looks in at her sleeping, filthy children. They have the remains of everything they've eaten today on their faces and the fronts of their shirts. She smiles that same contented smile again, and carefully, lovingly removes A.J. from his car seat and closes the car door leaving Grace in the minivan. As she carries him into the house, he barely stirs. 

She sees David standing in the living room with a beer in his hand. He looks up at her and moves across the room to take the sleeping toddler from her.

"Hi!" she whispers, kisses his cheek and notes a look of irritation on his face as she does so.

"What's wrong, David?" she asks.

"Nothing's wrong, Maddie. I was just hoping for a better hello kiss, that's all."

"Kind of hard to grope you and stick my tongue down your throat when I'm holding a sleeping 3 year old," she says.

"Mmm, sarcasm. Haven't heard much of that lately. Where's Gracie?" 

"Still in the car, sleeping. They really wore each other out today. With any luck, they'll both be in bed by eight."

David ignores the implication that they might actually be able to spend some time alone tonight. "God, Maddie any one could come up and take her!"

"They'd bring her back once she opened her mouth," Maddie replies cynically.

"Maddie, I'm serious. You hear about this kind of stuff on the news all the time. Go get her and I'll take care of this one."

Maddie stomps out of the house and approaches Grace in the minivan. What is with him? She wasn't going to leave her out here all night. Just until she got the baby inside. Even though stuff happens, you can't live your entire life being so paranoid about your kids. He really needs to lighten up. She feels very peculiar about this last thought. David Addison needs to lighten up? 

She shakes Grace gently to wake her, but Grace doesn't wake up. Maddie keeps shaking her and speaks her name. Grace still doesn't wake up. Maddie starts to feel a little panicky, till she sees that familiar smirk start to make it's way across her face. Grace opens her eyes and looks at her mother.

"Got ya!" she grins.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Well, I'll get _you_ if you don't get out of this car and march upstairs and climb in the tub."

They both start laughing and tickling each other.

A few minutes later we see Maddie entering the house with her arms full of gear from the car; blankets, toys, and on the bottom of the pile, the picnic basket. She is walking awkwardly toward the kitchen when she hears David's soft voice behind her.

"Hey Blondie. Need some help?"

She turns her whole body toward him, unable to move just her head in case she drop something.

"How chivalrous of you. I wouldn't turn down a helping hand right now. Even from a grump like you."

David smiles and starts unloading her arms. "Sorry. I just never like to take chances when it comes to them."  


"That's what makes you such a good father. I really don't see what the problem was, though. Is everything ok?"

"It's just been another long, boring day at Blue Moon Investigations." He frowns. "Never thought I'd be saying that," he mutters as he follows her into the kitchen.

"What's so boring about it? You seem busy. You go to work early every day and come home late practically every night. You're always out on business when I call. Work must have something going for it if it keeps you away from home so much."

They start putting things away.

David puts down the picnic basket, and trying to make a joke he says, "Really, I'm just hanging out there until something good opens up in the fast food industry." He looks for her reaction and she doesn't appear to be listening or she doesn't think he's funny. She's busy puttering around the kitchen. He shakes his head, laughs half-heartedly and rubs his hand over his face. 

"I don't know, I guess employee background checks and insurance investigations can't compare with a good murder mystery and a nut ball chase."

"Like in the good ol' days, huh," Maddie says as she moves toward him.

"It just seems that we haven't had an exciting case in years. I think the last interesting thing we did was the Anselmo case, even though we never solved it." he says tiredly.

Maddie looks thoughtful. "That was my last case as an investigator. "

"Be honest, Maddie. Don't you ever miss it?" 

"Miss what? Being up all night, having guns shoved in my face, protecting leprechauns and hit men, climbing up the sides of buildings, hijacking milk trucks and throwing milk bottles at escaping murderers, bowling for brunettes. What's to miss?" 

David, I like our life now. It's so _normal_. We're like other people who go to work and raise families." She moves close, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

"I do miss working with you though. All the arguing, the banter; it was pretty exhilarating."

He looks at her sadly, then pulls her into a hug and a long soft kiss.

She breaks the kiss a little hastily he thinks and resumes putting things away. "Seriously, David, you seem, I don't know, restless, unhappy lately." She hesitates, then asks, "It is _only_ about work, right? Or is it the seven year itch a few years late?" 

David eyes her warily, not wanting to hurt her or worse yet, start an argument. So he does what he always does when he doesn't know what to say. He clams up. Of course, Maddie has seen this many times and she _really_ hates it.

"I want to discuss this. I want to know why you're hardly home at all lately. This is the earliest you've been home in months. If you hate work so much why are you spending so much time there?" She starts counting on her fingers. "You have lost your weird sense of humor. You've lost interest in your work. You buy that expensive new sports car. You ignore me when you _are_ here. This looks like a classic midlife crisis to me."

He takes hold of her hand. Now he's getting angry.

"Midlife what? I ignore you? Is it time for your medication, Maddie? Do you think all that dull paperwork that you used to love doing so much just does itself now? That's why I'm never here. Besides, you spend all your time cooking and cleaning, going to PTA meetings and soccer games and ignoring _me_. I can't believe you even noticed I wasn't around. Honey, you've turned into a genuine Stepford Wife!"

Maddie glares at him. "A Stepford wife, huh. You don't seem to mind the way we live, the way I keep things running around here. I do this for _you_, to make _your_ life easier. God, sometimes I wish I could trade this job for what's behind door #2. But this is a choice I made for my life, for our life, and for better or worse, I'm stuck with it." As soon as those last words leave her mouth, she regrets saying them.

From upstairs we hear a child crying. Maddie and David realize they have been yelling. 

Maddie sighs, David shrugs and offers to go up to check on A.J..

"I'll start dinner," she scowls, turning away.

David exits the kitchen as Maddie starts looking in the refrigerator.

"After all these years, that man still drives me crazy!"

She wonders how she could be so out of sync with his feelings. Here she was this morning thinking their life was perfect. She sees now she's wrong about that. Something's wrong with _him_, she decides. She promises herself that she will try to change things for the better. But how? 

The wheels are turning in her head as she prepares a healthy pasta salad for dinner.

Upstairs, David enters A.J.'s bedroom and sees him standing in his crib, crying. He thinks to himself that his son should be in a real bed by now, but just because he was a premature infant Maddie babies him too much. He picks up the child who instantly stops crying and says, "Hi, Daddy!"

"Hi, Bud," David smiles and kisses his head. Every time one of his children says the word "Daddy", his heart melts. 

He has taken to fatherhood completely. Anyone who had known him in his misspent youth never would have believed this was the same David Addison. But being a father was something he always knew he wanted. Sometimes Maddie thought he would have breastfed if he'd had the right equipment. 

He reflects that this is at least one thing of which he and Maddie can always be proud. They have two great kids. Even if their marriage is less than great right now. He rocks his son and thinks about what he can do to improve that situation as he listens to her slamming things around in the kitchen. "Well, I guess I opened another can of worms," he whispers to himself.

He and A.J. sit down in a rocking chair in the bedroom. Out of the corner of his eye David notices Grace standing in the bedroom door with a towel wrapped around her head, and he puts his arm out to her.

Grace has a frown on her face as she confronts him with her mother's blue eyes. Those eyes are going to break some hearts some day, but for now she is his tomboy and totally unaware of how beautiful she's going to be. And that suits David just fine. He remembers what Alexander Hayes first thought of him and how protective he was of Maddie. He knows that is exactly how he will be when the time comes.

"Hey Sweetie. Heard you had a fun day," he says as he pulls her close.

"Sounds like you didn't," she responds. 

"You shouldn't listen in on private adult conversations, Gracie."

"Pretty hard not to when you're yelling at each other," she replies.

"Don't worry about it. Just a little disagreement."

"What's a 'Stepford wife'?"

"Just a really bad movie from the seventies. Look, this isn't about you. Mom and I are just--"

"Fighting!"

"Honey, if you thought that was a fight, you've never seen us at our best... or worst...or whatever..." his voice trails off.

She sits on his lap and he slowly rocks both his children, a distant look on his face.

***

After dinner, we see Maddie and David silently cleaning up the dinner dishes (yes, he is a man of the new millennium). The children are in the family room watching TV, except when Grace looks back at her parents worriedly every few minutes. 

Maddie wonders, what the hell did _I_ do, as she watches David distractedly putting leftovers into the refrigerator. He's so angry at her for something. She decides that the silent treatment has gone on long enough and approaches him to share her plan with him. 

"David, I called my mother before dinner and asked if she'd mind taking the kids for the weekend. Of course, she said yes. She even asked to take them longer. Any chance she can get to spoil them rotten." She puts her hand on his arm to make him face her. "Maybe we could get away, go somewhere, just us. What do you think?"

"Yeah, sounds great. I'm just not sure that what's going on with us can be fixed in a weekend," he blurts out.

She looks at him very seriously, her eyes filled with alarm. "What _is_ going on with us, David?"

He didn't mean to say that out loud. The last thing he wants to do is hurt her although sometimes he feels that's all he does.

"Ok here it is, Maddie. Maybe I _am_ having a mid life crisis. Maybe I'm just a whiny-ass cry baby. I mean look at my life. I own my own detective agency. I have a beautiful home, a beautiful wife, two terrific kids, what's wrong with any of this? I guess I'm finding life to be just a little too predictable right now. The most exciting thing that happens around here is when Grace hits a home run in Little League. Maybe..."

"Maybe you need a break...from us," she says coldly, looking in to the family room at the blue glow from the TV.

"What are you saying, Maddie?"

"I'm just saying that if you are so unhappy here, maybe you don't need to be here. If we bore you to tears, go back to hanging out at bars every night. You haven't been around much anyway so maybe they won't notice you're gone." She throws down a dish towel on the counter, preparing to leave the room. 

David is just about to respond when the phone rings. Maddie wipes a tear from her cheek and picks it up.

"Hello!" she barks into the phone.

Her expression changes in an instant to happy recognition, and she turns her back on David who is now very intrigued.

"Oh my God! Of course I remember you, Paul. How are you? Are you in LA on vacation?"

David is trying to remember who Paul might be. An old flame of hers, possibly. Someone from Chicago. Paul... The only Paul he knows is that talk radio guy, Paul McCain. The one who faked his own death and David and Maddie proved innocent of murdering his girlfriend's husband on one of their first cases together. He grins as he recalls how he baited her by telling her he thought she was in love with a dead guy. He was, in fact, kind of jealous of that guy. 

He remembers spending a drunken night in a bar telling anyone who would listen and many people who wouldn't, all about Maddie's crush on this dead DJ. That was a pretty pivotal point in his relationship with her. It was the first time he recognized just how important she could be in his life. Well, anyway, it couldn't be him. They hadn't heard from him since they solved his case. That was over 15 years ago. 

Just then, Maddie turns around. Her face is no longer happy.

David is still watching her closely. Why is she looking so concerned and not saying anything? Who is this Paul and what could he be telling her that's making her look like that?

"Alright, Paul. Do you want to talk to him now? He's right here... He lives here... We're married... Yeah, me either. Ok, we'll set something up for tomorrow. Try to get some sleep and I'm so sorry. I know how you adored Laura."

Maddie slowly hangs up the phone, and looks at David with tears welling up in her eyes again.

"David, that was Paul McCain. His wife, Laura, was murdered and the police suspect him. He wants our help!"

****

END PART I


	2. Chapter 2

Note: I made up a name for David's mother since I either can't remember it or it was never said

Note: I made up a name for David's mother since I either can't remember it or never heard it. I also gave Maddie's dad a middle name.

****

Play Moonlighting For Me

Part II

__

I hear there's trouble in Shangri La

--Stevie Nicks

"Whoa, whoa, excuse me? Paul McCain. The old DJ guy? Did you say this guy we haven't seen for 15 years and know nothing about needs _OUR_ help?"

"I meant he needs _YOUR_ help. He feels like you went to bat for him once before. Maybe you'd be willing to do it again."

"If you will recall, Maddie, you were the one that 'went to bat' for him. I thought he was guilty. And now he's suspected of killing his wife? Is this the same girl he professed to love so much?"

Grace enters the kitchen, staring at her parents.

"A.J. and I are going to bed. Try not to keep us little children awake ok?"

She somberly kisses and hugs her parents goodnight and leaves holding A.J.'s hand.

Maddie waits until the children are out of earshot before she continues.

"He _did_ love her! Look David. You're the one who was just saying how boring work has become and by happenstance this murder investigation lands in your lap. I just thought you could meet with him, maybe have a dinner meeting here, don't make any commitments but sort of feel him out. But if you don't want to do this, don't do it."

He hates it when she uses words like "happenstance".

He spits at her, "Well, 'happenstance' or not it sounds to me like you are the one who wants this case. Maybe you should 'feel him out'. You might enjoy that." 

"You're disgusting. I've had it with you tonight. You are acting like a jealous schoolboy and if this conversation keeps going at it's current pace, they'll be investigating _your_ murder. I'm going to tuck the kids in to bed and then I'm going too. You can sleep down here tonight."

She quickly leaves the room and David can hear her stomping upstairs.

He is motionless for a moment, looking after her. Then he goes to the fridge and grabs a beer, retreating to the family room couch and the big screen TV he gave Maddie for her last birthday.

He takes a long swig of beer, then starts to contemplate the events of the day and how he ended up here. 

When he got home he was feeling totally sick of his boring job, his life and if the truth be told by his wife. 

First of all -- how is it possible to be bored with her when just the sight of her across a room has always excited him beyond reason. What the hell is the matter with him? 

She's mother of the year that's for sure. She's turned into a gourmet chef, a champion gardener, a flawless interior designer, even if she doesn't appreciate the big screen he bought _just_ for her. He toasts it with his beer bottle. 

There's no passion any more, no fireworks. Maybe _she's_ bored with him! He ponders all this for awhile and concludes that it's more than boredom, he just doesn't feel a part of her world anymore. He's angry and jealous. "God, I've become one of those pathetic bastards that go on Oprah and whine about how their wives don't pay enough attention to them since the kids came along."

And what about this case? If it _was_ anybody but Paul McCain, would he have jumped at it? Maybe he _is_ jealous of this guy. So maybe he has reason to be. Maddie has confessed to him since their marriage that she spent a rainy night in this guy's apartment all alone with him "just talking". Now this guy is back and his wife is dead. What if he killed her? Maddie obviously wants to get involved in defending him, and if he's guilty this time, would she be able to see it? Andcometothinkofit_, how did he get their home phone number?_

***

Upstairs, Maddie is changing for bed. She discards the black silk negligee that she originally wanted to wear for her husband tonight and grabs an old cotton t-shirt from his drawer. She is really angry but mostly hurt by the things he has said to her tonight. 

He went way over the line. 

She goes into the master bathroom and sees the candles she placed around the jacuzzi tub where she had planned a romantic interlude. "Well, this night was a total waste of make up," she says to herself in the mirror. She notices a few new wrinkles as she washes her face and the fact that her figure isn't perfect any longer. Stepford wife, huh. I'll show him a Stepford wife. What a jackass! If I didn't know better I'd think he is falling out of love with me. 

This thought hits her like a ton of bricks as she looks at herself in the bathroom mirror. Suddenly a completely unfamiliar feeling comes over her - desperation. What if he doesn't love her any more? What if he leaves her? Or worse, what if he replaces her with a younger version of herself? Men in the middle of a full-blown mid-life crisis have been known to do things totally out of character. 

She feels her heart start beating faster and faster and her breathing getting more rapid as well. She breaks out into a cold sweat. She's either having a heart attack, an anxiety attack or just entered the fast lane toward menopause. She wills her breathing to slow as she grips the marble counter in a death grip. Eventually, all her faculties start to return to normal except that now she is feeling dizzy from all that rapid breathing. She lies down on her bed and begins to regain her composure.

Get a grip Maddie. He's not going anywhere. That little jealousy bit over Paul McCain shows he still cares. You're just feeling insecure because he's younger than you. You need to focus. Call Mom in the morning and start planning a dinner meeting with Paul for tomorrow night -- with or without David.

She pulls down the covers and crawls into his side of the bed. She buries her face in his pillow and breathes in his scent. "I hate you, Addison," she whispers as she begins to drift off into a fitful sleep.

***

The next morning, Maddie wakes up late, goes downstairs and sees her children playing the Nintendo with the volume off. Really, Grace is the only one playing; she has given A.J. a dummy controller and he is playing with a look of total delight on his face.

"Hey, Guys. How long have you been up?"

"We got up early with Dad. He got us breakfast."

"Oh. Is he still here?" she asks as she looks toward the kitchen.

"No, he went to work already. He said to let you sleep and to only wake you up if we burned the house down."

"OK.... Well, I'm going to get some coffee then we can start getting you two packed and ready to go to Grandma's."

She shuffles into the kitchen in her slippers and goes to the cupboard for a coffee cup. She sees several empty beer bottles lying in the recycling bin.

Oh, David. I wish I knew what's bothering you. 

She hears the children laughing in the other room. 

Maybe you're not cut out for this kind of life. Maybe you've gone about as far as you can go. She twirls her wedding ring on her finger and starts to feel the anxiety from last night returning. She pours herself some coffee, then thinks, oh yeah, like I need this right now. She pours the coffee down the sink and gets on the phone to her mother.

As soon as Maddie had given birth to Grace, Virginia and Alex Hayes had sold their home of 40 years in Chicago and moved to Los Angeles. That was and is how important their grandchildren are to them. They only live 15 minutes away now and would take the kids every weekend if Maddie would let them. And both Grace and AJ feel the same about them. Maddie and David feel so fortunate and grateful that they are still healthy and able to have fun with their grandchildren.

"Mom? Is Daddy there? No? Good. Listen I have a big favor to ask you. David and I are going through something right now... No nothing serious but we need some time. I was hoping that I could bring the kids today instead of tomorrow and that they could stay a few extra days... Oh Mom, what would I do without you? Thanks and don't worry. I'll bring them by later this afternoon."

***

__

You can consume all the beauty in the room, baby.

-- Stevie Nicks

Later that evening, around 7PM we see Maddie in the formal dining room of her home. She looks more like she did in her Blue Moon days. Her hair is softly curled, and she has taken the time to get perfectly made up. She is wearing a simple black dress and a string of pearls David gave her years ago, from an insurance settlement when he killed his Yugo. She touches them and smiles at the memory. 

She is trying not to think about the fact that she hasn't seen or heard from her husband all day as she lights ivory tapered candles, which sit in the middle of a beautifully set table, with formal china, crystal wine glasses and antique silverware. The decor in the dining room is elegant; with cream silk brocade draperies, a chipendale dining set and crystal chandelier. The room is very French and much in a style she has always wanted but has never had. David thinks it it is too stuffy and stiff, but she loves it. This is the one room in the house where her decorating didn't go untailored and kid friendly. 

She hears the doorbell ring and goes to answer it. Through the peephole she sees a man with a bouquet of flowers; an older version of Paul McCain, with much less hair but still those penetrating sad eyes. She remembers listening to his radio tapes and talking to him that rainy night long ago; the man had looked into her soul. When he rings the bell again she snaps out of her trance and opens the door. They instantly grin and embrace each other. Maddie is taken back in time as she smells the same aftershave he was wearing that night they spent together in his apartment. 

She shows him into the living room (she has stashed the Nintendo), offers him a seat on the sofa and a drink. After she makes them both a gin and tonic, she sits next to him on the sofa at a comfortable distance. They start conversing about innocuous subjects, not wanting to bring up the real reason he's here.

"So those pictures I see in the bookcase must be your children."

"Yep, that's my 10-year-old daughter, Grace Virginia and my 3-year-old son, Alexander James."

"Pretty impressive names."

"I guess so. We wanted to give them names that meant something to us and that they could grow with. You know, especially with girls. Amber or Tiffany may be cute when you're twenty, but can you picture an old lady named Tiffany? 

Anyway, Grace is named after David's mother and my mother. A.J. is named for my dad."

"No David Jr., huh. That kind of surprises me with his sense of self-worth -- and I don't mean that in a bad way."

"No, no, I understand. David is already a junior so our son would have been a 'third'. That was just a little too pretentious for my husband." She suddenly gets a very gloomy expression on her face and looks and feels like she might cry.

Paul notices this and is curious that mentioning David makes her look that way. 

"So where is David? I was hoping he would be able to tell me something about my case tonight."

She attempts to cover her emotions, saying, "I'm sure he'll be here soon. I left a message for him at the office. I suppose he's tied up with something or stuck in traffic. If you like I'll try his cell."

"No, I'm enjoying my present company, thank you." He takes a sip of his drink and just stares at her. "Maddie, after all this time I have to tell you that you are still one of the most breathtaking women I have ever seen."

"Thank you, Paul. You don't know how good that makes me feel right now. It must be the candlelight."

There is an uncomfortable pause in the conversation. Maddie decides to break it first, finally saying her name.

"Laura was a very beautiful woman. I am so sorry to hear about this horrible tragedy, and I wish I could do something to ease the pain you must be feeling."

"These last six months have been the worst of my life. First losing her, then finding out that she was murdered, then that the police suspect _me_. It's been almost more than I can handle."

"More than _anyone _could handle. I don't know what I'd do if something ever happened to David and I was a suspect."

"It's a very lonely feeling. It's somewhat ironic that I used to help lonely people and now I am one of them. Laura and I were never able to have children and neither one of us had any extended family so we were everything to each other. I still can't believe she's gone."

"Is there anyone you are close to that can help you through this?" she asks sympathetically.

"I have friends and I've been seeing a therapist since... it happened. Also, my attorney has been really wonderful. We've known her for years and she's been a great friend through all of this. She's here in LA with me. I'll have to get you two together."

"Can I ask you what happened the night of Laura's murder? If you don't want to talk about it, that's ok too."

"No, I guess I need to tell you the details if you're going to help me," he says, then takes a huge gulp from his drink. 

Maddie looks down at her drink, feeling guilty for not correcting his mistaken belief that she's still a detective.

"She was shot. At our house at Lake Tahoe. We live in San Francisco most of the time but Tahoe is our special place. It's where we go to reconnect." He realizes he's talking about her in the present, and intense grief appears to engulf him. 

His voice shaking, he continues. "I was supposed to go to dinner with a friend that night, but I cancelled to take a drive around the lake by myself. So there went my alibi. I came home and found her... lying on the living room floor." His voice catches and he pauses a moment to regain his composure. 

"There was an... autopsy. The findings were inconclusive at first as to whether it was a suicide, an accident or a murder. They ran toxicology tests, paraffin tests and wanted to run more tests, but by then she had been cremated." 

"Why was she cremated before all the testing was done?"

"There was a mix up at the coroner's office. They released the body for burial, so I assumed everything had been done and I had her cremated according to her wishes. So I look pretty guilty on all fronts. I don't even know if there's anything you can do to help me but you were the first person I thought of when my attorney said we needed to hire an investigator."

"Paul, I'm not an investigator any more. I'm sorry, I should have told you that last night, but I thought for sure that David would want to help you too. I may have spoken too soon. _Not that he thinks you're guilty_. It's just that business is so crazy right now. He may have too many other commitments," she states emphatically.

"Maddie, I know what David must think of me. You don't need to try and spare my feelings. I remember he thought I was guilty of murder once before. But the two of you proved him wrong."

"Actually, if you remember, we didn't prove anything. The radio station manager came at us with a gun and confessed."

"Then he tried to kill you both. Yes, I remember everything. But mostly I remember how you believed so vehemently in my innocence. That's why I'm sorry I won't have you in my corner this time around."

Maddie moves closer to Paul on the sofa and touches his leg to reinforce what she's about to tell him. "Paul, regardless of my involvement in your case, I'll always believe in your innocence. I know you're not capable of murder. Especially not Laura's."

The front door opens and closes and David walks into the room, with a drop dead, very humorless expression on his face. He notices the lights down low and that both Maddie and Paul have drinks and look absorbed in conversation. He also notices how closely she's sitting to him. He holds his hand out to Paul at the same time that Maddie and Paul notice him and stand up. The men shake hands tensely, David's eyes never leaving Paul's.

"I was very sorry to hear about your wife. I thought she was a very classy, beautiful woman."

"Thank you, David. She always spoke highly of you as well. We never forgot the part you and Maddie played in getting us together finally."

David spies the dining room from where he is standing. He evidently notices the romantic candlelight and the elegant table and a stab of some emotion he can't quite figure out (although anger is a part of it) overcomes him.

"So Maddie. It smells like you've prepared more than the usual beans and weenies for dinner tonight. Am I invited or is this a dinner for two?"

"Clearly, you're invited _dear_.If your keen investigative mind can count, there are three place settings at the table."

"What about Gracie and A.J.?" he asks.

"They're staying with my folks for a few days, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I guess you couldn't have had them call the office and say goodbye to their dear old dad."

"They're not going on a world cruise. You can call them any time you want."

Their eyes are shooting daggers at each other.

"Maybe this meeting wasn't such a good idea. I think I'd better leave," Paul says uneasily.

"Nonsense, Paul. Everything's FINE!" Maddie says, gritting her teeth.

"Yeah, FINE!" David glares back at her.

"And if you gentlemen are ready to DINE, your feast awaits."

"I really think I'd better go so you two can talk." Paul begins to walk toward the front door.

Maddie grabs Paul's arm. "I insist you stay. I worked all day on this meal. As soon as David has a glass of wine he'll become human again."

They proceed in to the dining room, Maddie and Paul in the lead, David sulking behind them.

During dinner, we see animated conversation between Paul and Maddie as David mopes and drinks too much wine.

"So how did the two of you finally get together?" Paul asks.

"How much time do you have?" she laughs. "I think we just got tired of fighting each other off. And once I made the decision that I loved him, it just seemed right. Don't you think so, David?"

"Hmmm? Yeah, that's right, honey." David says absentmindedly.

"Paul, would you excuse us for a moment? I need to speak to my husband about dessert." Maddie frowns at David as she starts to move her chair away from the table.

"Oh, Maddie. This was such a wonderful meal. I don't think I saved any room for dessert," Paul says approvingly.

David leans toward him and in a conspiratorial whisper tells Paul, "That's ok. She really just wants to ream me and she doesn't want to do it in front of you."

She pushes him into the kitchen behind closed doors.

"David. What the hell is the matter with you? You are really embarrassing me, is that what you want?" 

He's just giving her his best sexy smirk, looking her up and down. "What I want is to go to bed, with you."

She throws her arms up in the air disgustedly. "You're drunk. For the second time in two nights. This behavior is unacceptable and intolerable...what are you smirking at?"

"You sound like my old boss."

"I _am_ your old boss!" she hisses, trying to keep Paul from hearing them. "You obviously don't want to discuss what's really going on with you and that's your problem. But I am telling you that if you don't take his case I will."

"_You_ will? You haven't done anything for 11 years," he says, his voice getting louder.

"No, I haven't done anything but raise your children and make us a nice home. Since you don't seem to appreciate that, I'm going back to the office and I'm going to solve this for Paul." Her voice has gone up a few notches as well.

"'For Paul', Maddie? You don't know this guy. You haven't seen this guy in like 15 years. How do you know he's not some psycho? I don't like the way he looks at you, and the way he hangs on every word you say. 

Look, I'm sorry for the way I've acted tonight. Hell, for the last hundred nights. But something about this guy bugs me. He shows up out of the blue, sweeps you off your feet. Maddie he may have killed his wife. And I don't want _my_ wife to be next. You are a stay-at-home mother now and I don't want you to have anything to do with him."

"Oh, could we please lower the level of testosterone for a minute, Tarzan? I'll do whatever I please. Why don't you want me to have anything to do with him, because you love me so much? Or does he threaten your territory in some way? You've been avoiding me, David. You treat me like I'm some kind of brainless lump who's only capable of having babies. You seem to forget I was instrumental in building Blue Moon into the success it is today. And I _do_ know this man. He loved his wife more than his own life. He never would have killed her."

They are definitely yelling now.

Maddie turns around at the sound of the kitchen door opening.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to open a rift between the two of you. I really think it's time for me to go. Maddie, thank you for your hospitality and I regret we won't be seeing each other again."

"Paul, I..." she stops, not knowing what to say.

Then David says unexpectedly, "We'll take your case McCain. Come to the office in the morning and Maddie and I will meet you there and try to get this straightened out. Bring any info you have that can get us started." 

Paul gives him a startled but grateful look. "Thank you, David. I'll do that. I do think it's time for me to go, though. Maddie, you're a wonderful hostess. Would you mind if I took a rain check on dessert?" 

"Not at all. But I hope you're not leaving because of anything you may have heard us saying in here." she says sheepishly.

"No, I'm still feeling pretty jet-lagged. I think I should go back to my hotel and get a good night's sleep. I'll show myself out and see you in the morning."

He starts to leave the kitchen, then stops and looks back at them thoughtfully. "You two seem to have built a pretty nice life for yourselves. Don't forget that it could all end at any time. You needto talk. Goodnight."

As they hear the front door close, neither one wants to pick up this fight where it left off. Paul's profound words are echoing in Maddie's head. Most of the anger has dissipated. Now all she is feeling is sorrow.

They both stand in the kitchen for a moment, saying nothing, not looking at each other. Finally, Maddie speaks.

"Thank you, David. I don't know why you decided to help him but I appreciate it. 

Now if we could just do something to help ourselves..."

He purposely overlooks the last part of her comment.

"Look, Maddie. You're like a dog with a bone over this thing. You were never going to let it go, so I gave up. We'll take the case. Now, I've had too much to drink and I didn't sleep so great last night. Would you mind if I slept upstairs with you tonight? I promise I won't touch you, if that's what you want."

"It's pretty telling, David, that the only time you _do_ want to touch me is when you've been drinking," she says, close to tears now.

"Come on, Maddie. I don't want to do this," he groans and starts pacing the kitchen like a caged animal looking for a way out.

"Maybe I'm only exciting to you when you've had a few drinks," she says quietly.

He stops his pacing, a dumbfounded look on his face.

"You can't possibly believe that! I don't even know what to say to that." 

She's looking sadly down at the ground, not wanting to meet his eyes. Afraid that all she'll see there is anger or worse, pity.

He moves toward her and says softly, frowning with growing realization,

"Is that what you've been thinking? That I don't want to be with you? That I don't love you? That I want to leave?"

She nods, still looking down at the floor. "I know I don't look or act like I used to and our lives are definitely not like they used to be, and I guess I've been ignoring the fact that you're miserable. Until yesterday, I didn't realize just how unbearable this marriage had become for you. I guess now I understand. I don't want to see you so mad and unhappy all the time. So if you want to go, go."

He reaches out to her, pulls her close, and runs his finger lightly down her face, wiping a tear from her cheek. "No, honey, you don't understand. I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I've never wanted to leave you. You just never seem to have the time for me and _my_ needs. You're always taking care of the kids and the house. I guess I _am_ a whiny ass crybaby, but I need you too."

Then he takes her hand and kisses her fingers lightly.

"I love you so much, Maddie. I've always loved you. Since the first time you walked into the office." He embraces her and whispers into her hair, "How could you ever think I'd lost interest. You'll still be exciting to me in the nursing home when I'm 105." Now he's close to tears as well. 

Still being held to his chest, she asks, "Then, what's wrong with us, David? I feel like a broken record. I must have asked that question a hundred times in the last two days. If we love each other so much, we need to work this out. Paul's right. God forbid anything should happen to either of us, but it could. And I can't leave things between us like this. 

And you're right too. I know I need to pay more attention to you. We need to talk. We need to spend more time together, just the two of us. We need to laugh more often." The tone of her voice changes abruptly from sad to sultry.

"We need to do this more often."

She pulls out of his embrace slightly and starts kissing his lips softly and loosening his tie. She gets it undone and drops it to the floor. Then she untucks his shirt and begins unbuttoning it, slowly at first, then ripping the buttons off it. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes as she begins kissing his chest. As she moves down his body with her kisses, she begins to hurriedly undo his belt buckle. Unexpectedly she stops what she's doing. Looking up at him, she smiles and takes his hand, pulling him into the dining room.

They look at all the dirty dinner dishes still on the table. He's thinking, there goes the moment. Now she'll go into "Stepford" mode and want to clean up the mess. 

She surprises him by blowing out the candles and placing them on the buffet. Then she pulls up the four corners of the antique linen tablecloth into the center of the table. As he watches her, she picks the tablecloth up from the center, with all the dishes in it, then slings it over her shoulder like a knapsack and drops the bundle to the floor with a loud crash of breaking china and crystal. She shrugs her shoulders, leans on the table, undoes the clasp on her pearls and removes them.

"Wouldn't want anything to happen to these," she says huskily as she places them gently on the buffet. 

Their eyes meet. She unzips her dress half way down her back.

"Could you help me with this, Jungle Boy?"

He's shaking with awakening passion, trying to get his shirt and pants off and stumbling over to her. He reaches around her back, kissing her neck as he's attempting to get her out of her dress as quickly as possible. 

"I think this table is pretty sturdy," she says nonchalantly, looking up at the ceiling as her dress slips to the floor. "You know, we never did initiate this dining room properly." 

She leans back further on to the table and brings him on top of her.

"No time like the present," he whispers breathlessly.

They are too engrossed in each other to notice eyes watching them through the slit in the dining room curtains.

****

END PART II


	3. Chapter 3

Play Moonlighting For Me ****

Play Moonlighting For Me

Part III

__

Let there be light in this lifetime

in the cool, silent moments of the nighttime

--Stevie Nicks

The next morning, we see Maddie and David's bedroom window a little after sunrise. We see them lying in bed together, tangled up in the sheets and each other. Maddie is awake, watching him sleep. He's snoring loudly, with his mouth wide open.

Maddie smiles and sighs, "The love of my life."

She runs her fingers through his almost non-existent hair. He stirs, opens his eyes and sees her watching him. Smiling, he stretches, kisses her forehead and says, "Was I snoring again?"

"Like a freight train. That's ok. You didn't wake me. I was just lying here thinking."

"Yeah, I've been thinking too."

He gives her his most lascivious grin. "I was thinking we need to initiate the kitchen."

She smacks his arm, blushing and giggling. "David! 

I do have to say though, last night was pretty wonderful, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, we need to let you take control more often. I like being your boy-toy."

"Ok. Now you're embarrassing me."

"Maddie. It's just me. I'm your husband. We're married. We can have intimate conversations. Remember, you're the one who said we need to talk more."

"You're right."

He grabs his chest like he's having a heart attack. "Oh, my God. I'm right about something. I can't take it. Quick give me CPR."

"Very funny."

"Make it mouth to mouth"

"Daaviiid"

"Mouth to--"

"David! Well, the man I've known and always loved is back. Lucky me. 

Actually, I was thinking about Paul McCain's case. I think we need to get our hands on all the evidence the police have. Do you think the Lake Tahoe PD will cooperate with us?" 

As she's asking this, he's planting little kisses all around her neck in a way that he knows drives her crazy. In between kisses he says, "Believe it or not, I do have some connections with law enforcement. Yes, I think they'll cooperate with our investigation."

Then he stops and gets up on his elbow, looking at her intently. 

"Maddie, are you sure you want to involve yourself in this?" She gives him an icy look.

"It's just that I know how much you love being home with Gracie and A.J. This could be time consuming if we give it the attention a case like this needs," he explains as she lays into the crook of his arm. "But I have to admit I am going to love having you back at Blue Moon, even if it's only temporary."

"It will be hard being away from the kids, but my parents are in heaven having them for a whole week. And I'm hoping that we can wrap this up quickly. It should be pretty open and shut. He couldn't have done it."

"Yeah, whatever."

"David, he loved her so much. Could you do that to me?" she asks, turning to look into his eyes.

He brushes the hair out of her face. "Never."

"My point exactly. This poor man is suffering and broken beyond repair."

"Like our china?" he teases her.

"Oh God, I forgot. I better get up and get that mess cleaned up."

She starts to sit up and get out of bed.

"The dishes will wait. But I won't."

He pulls her back down.

"Sweetheart, I don't think..."

"That's ok, you look good."

She rolls her eyes, but turns over and leans on his chest.

"Yeah, you're definitely back. I love you." She kisses him passionately.

***

Elevator doors open, and two pairs of legs, one pair in pants the other in a dress, appear behind them. The legs are standing toe to toe, very close together. As the doors begin to close, one of the legs puts a foot out to keep them open. After a moment, both sets turn forward and begin walking down the hall toward the offices of Blue Moon Investigations.

The outer office door opens. The employees are either on the phone checking on the progress of a case or running around filing, typing, or staring at computer screens. Everyone appears very busy.

"Wow. Business really _is_ going well." Maddie states in awe.

Hearing her, Herbert Viola turns around.

"Mrs. Addison! How wonderful of you to grace us with your presence. We are all so thrilled that you are coming out of retirement. This place hasn't been the same without you."

"Yes, I can see that. And about coming out of retirement, this is only short-term, I'm afraid."

"Well, we'll take you for as long as we can, " he says and then realizes she could misinterpret that statement.

"Thank you, Mr. Viola," she smiles. 

He starts sputtering, "That didn't come out right. I meant to say--"

"It's ok, Bert, I know what you meant," she nods.

Then she pulls him aside so the rest of the staff won't hear her.

"What happened to your eye?" she asks, pointing to a huge shiner.

Bert places his hand to his face and winces in pain.

"I was playing baseball with the boys in the backyard yesterday, and Mikey _ACCIDENTLY_ hit me with the ball."

Maddie and David look at each other meaningfully.

Bert takes Maddie's arm and begins pulling her away from David. "Mrs. Addison, you haven't been here in so long. Please let me show you around. As you can see we've installed state-of-the-art equipment everywhere. Even the phone system is state-of-the-art. I think you'll be very impressed at the level of technology we've incorporated into Blue Moon..."

David says under his breath, "How do I set a laser printer to stun?"

Then, "Mr. Viola, the Mrs. and I will be in my office." He grabs Maddie's hand, taking her away from Bert's tour, and turns to the new receptionist. "Annie, would you let us know when Mr. McCain arrives?"

"Of course, Mr. Addison."

Maddie and David retreat to what used to be her office.

As soon as the door shuts behind her, Maddie says, "Her name's Annie?"

David starts whining, "God, am I going to have to pay for that for the rest of my life? You want me to fire a perfectly good receptionist because you don't like her name?"

Maddie is looking around the room. "Maybe." She walks toward him and puts her arms around his waist. "At least there's no resemblance. She's much prettier than my cousin. Your taste has improved over the years."

"Hmm. It certainly has. Want to mess around?" He buries his face in her neck and starts kissing her, trying to maneuver her over to the sofa.

She's not having any of it. "I like what you've done in here. Very masculine, but not too much. The burgundy and sage are really nice. I don't see any signs that this was ever my office."

"The sofa is still in the same place," he says as he succeeds in pulling her onto it, his lips still exploring her neck, his fingers attempting to unbutton her blouse.

"David, I think we need to cool off a little. When Paul gets here I don't want him to see us looking like we've just finished having sex."

He comes up for air. "But we _did_ just finish having sex. Now if we hurry we can have some more."

"No!' she says firmly, pushing his wandering hands away. "Look, this man is in pain. He's lost the love of his life in a horrible way. Seeing us so goo goo eyed over each other is bound to make him more depressed. We need to act professionally and detached around him."

"Maddie. 'Goo goo eyed'? I got to you just in time. You really need to get away from the kids more. 

Look Honey, McCain knows we're married, and he knows we were headed toward World War III last night. When he left the house, he said we needed to talk. Don't you think he'll be happy that we followed his advice?"

"I'm sure that would make him happy. I just don't want to be so... demonstrative."

They start talking at the same time:

David:Demonstrative?Maddie:If he sees us holding hands and 

You bet I want to be demonstrative!smooching all the time it will make

I've gone too long _not_ beinghim sad. I don't think I could look

demonstrative with you. I wantat his wretched eyes and know 

to be demonstrative all over thethat I was responsible for that.

place. In the garage, in the officeWe can tell him that we reached a

in the car, in the house, in the resolution last night. I think in some

backyard, in the pool, way he's responsible for that.

and I don't care who sees us orHis coming back into our lives _did_

what they think. It's nobody'sbring things to a head, after all.

business. Dammit, Maddie, I definitely need let him know that.

I love you!

"I love you, too," she says tenderly.

Annoyed but wanting to please her, he says, "OK, if that's what you want, we'll act like we don't even know each other while we're working. _And don't call this a 'pact'! _But as soon as we get home tonight..." 

"I promise when we get home tonight we'll do something very special," she says as if she's talking to one of her children.

"Like the kitchen?" he smirks, raising his eyebrows.

The intercom buzzes.

"Mr. and Mrs. Addison? Mr. McCain and his attorney are here."

David jumps off the sofa and rushes over to the desk. He says in a voice about two octaves lower than usual, "Thank you, Annie. Please send them in."

Maddie sticks her tongue out at him.

"Later, Honey," he leers.

She sighs, gets off the sofa and smoothes her hair and clothes as Paul walks in the door alongside a woman with frightful red hair and a glaringly bright outfit. Whatever look this woman is going for, she missed. Her glasses are too dark and severe for her pale skin. She may have a good figure, but this outfit doesn't flatter her. She could use a few lessons from Maddie.

"Good Morning, Paul."

"Good morning, Maddie, David. This is my attorney, Olivia Chase. She wanted to meet you both. And I must say, you two look ready to take on the world today."

"Well, maybe not the whole world but I'm hoping we can help with your case. Did you bring everything you've got?" David asks as he shows Paul and Olivia to seats in front of the desk. Maddie sits down on the corner of the desk next to Paul as David goes around to his chair.

"I've got police reports and all our notes and correspondence since this happened," Paul says as he hands over a thick stack of paperwork to David.

"Any pictures of the scene or autopsy photos?" David asks as he's looking through the stack. 

Maddie gives him a warning look. "David."

"No, I'm afraid I haven't been able to even be in the same room with any of those photos." 

"I don't have them with me either, but I'm sure if I make some phone calls you can obtain them from the police," Olivia tells David impersonally.

"Any word yet on whether they'll indict you?" Maddie asks gingerly.

"My lawyer thinks it's imminent," he replies as the attorney nods.

"Will you excuse me a moment? I'll call the Tahoe police and see if they can fax us some pictures," Olivia says, standing.

"Of course, and we have another office if you'd like to use it." Maddie suggests.

"Thank you," she says as Maddie shows her to Bert's office.

Returning to David's office Maddie inquires delicately, "Is there anything you can tell us that will help us? Did Laura have any enemies? Was she upset about anything lately?" 

He shakes his head. "No, everyone that knew her loved her. She was the kindest gentlest most giving person I ever met. She was so easy to love. Sometimes I still can't believe she chose me."

Maddie immediately has something to say about that. "What are you talking about? You're so sensitive and gentle, of course she would have chosen you. You're also a very handsome man, " she adds.

He grins, running his hand over the top of his head. "I'm not so sure about that."

Maddie smiles back at him, glancing at David. "Well, I am sort of partial to balding men."

David looks at her like he's hurt, then smiles back at her.

She forgets about their "pact" to keep the conversation professional. "Well, the kind of love you had for her always makes a _woman_ feel beautiful too." She gazes affectionately at her husband and all the movement in the room stops for a moment as they stare.

Paul clears his throat and David sits up in his chair, trying to bring the conversation back to the topic at hand. Returning to his professional demeanor he continues, "Well, someone obviously had something against her. If she didn't have any enemies, can you think of anyone who may have been jealous of her?" 

Paul pauses, then says, "I'm sorry. I just can't think of any reason anyone would want to harm her. The police originally thought it may have happened during a robbery attempt, but lately have dropped that theory and started pursuing me. The only thing I keep coming back to is the fact that she still had to deal with some of Arthur Boyd's, you remember, her first husband, his relatives and business associates. As you can well imagine, she received a lot of money in his will and some of the relatives resented her and felt she was indirectly responsible for his murder."

"What about Arthur's business associates? Wasn't he 'connected'?" David asks uneasily, giving Maddie a guarded look.

"Well, he was a very powerful, wealthy man. And if you recall, some of his business dealings were a bit shady."

"How involved was Laura in running any of his business interests now?" Maddie asks.

"She kept up with things. Her inheritance was what we lived on so she had to make sure the money kept flowing."

"What about Laura's will?"

"I'm her sole heir since we didn't have children and she didn't have any other family." 

Paul looks at Maddie who is looking very worried.

"Yeah, I guess I look like a prime suspect," he sighs. "But you have to know how much I loved her. I never would have killed her, especially just for money. It's just not that important to me. Love is the only thing in life that matters to me," Paul declares, looking deeply into Maddie's eyes.

Maddie places her hand on Paul's knee as his attorney walks back into the office.

"We know you would never do such a terrible thing, Paul. But maybe someone else wanted to get to the money by sending you to prison for her murder."

The questioning goes on for a couple of hours, between phone calls and faxes from the Tahoe PD. Then David announces, "We're not getting a whole lot to go on here," rising from behind his desk.

"I'm sorry. I just don't know what else I can tell you."

"Who's next in line in her will?" Maddie asks hopefully.

"Just various charities," Olivia states.

"Maybe we need to make a visit to Tahoe. Sometimes you get better results talking to people in person. We might also get a better feel for things when we see the actual place where the murder occurred, instead of police photos," David says.

"Well, I'll give you the key to the house but I'm never stepping foot in there again," Paul says definitively.

David comes around from the desk and stands in front of Paul. He's all business.

"You don't need to be there. But I'll need to talk to the Tahoe PD to get the complete picture." He stops and makes a point of turning to Maddie. "I mean _we'll_ have to talk to them." He looks at her lovingly.

Paul is unable to _not_ mention what is going on any longer. "I guess you guys talked last night."

"We did more than talk, my man." David starts saying until Maddie gives him a withering stare.

David clears his throat. "I mean, yes, we discussed our difficulties and decided to work them out," then he can't stop himself from adding..."on the dining room table."

Maddie stands up abruptly, and Paul begins laughing. "Well, whatever that means, I don't think I want to know." He takes Maddie's hand. "But I am glad for you," he says with a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.

Maddie takes Paul's hand. "Paul, why don't you go home and when we have some news we'll let you know," she advises him as he stands.

"Talk to _Annie, _the receptionist," she glances back at David, "and leave any numbers where you can be reached, and the name of the police officer in charge of Laura's case. We'll take it from here." She holds his elbow as she shows him out the door.

"And please try not to worry. You look so troubled, but I'm sure this will all work out," she says, captivated by his powerful gaze.

"It was nice meeting you both. I'm sure we'll be in touch when you get to the lake."

Olivia Chase holds out her hand and gives Maddie and David a firm handshake before leaving with Paul.

As she closes the office door, Maddie says, "Nice perfume. Did she have to marinate in it?" She turns around and sees David sitting on the edge of the desk, staring at her intently.

"What?" she asks.

"If I wasn't feeling completely secure in the fact that you love me, I might be just a little jealous right now. That was quite a stare you two were holding."

"What are you talking about? I'm just concerned about him. He's tormented by anguish over Laura's death. I'm afraid he might do something awful to himself."

"Or to me, maybe," David says under his breath.

"David, how can you say that? That gentle man would never harm anyone."

"Maddie, anyone is capable of anything under the right circumstances. I'm just telling you I think he's smitten with you." He moves off the desk and walks toward her, "Just like I am. And I'm not letting you out of my sight until this case is over." He pulls her into an embrace, and they continue to talk, face to face.

"David I think you know that I have no interest in any other man. You're all I can handle. Sometimes _more_ than I can handle. I think you're misinterpreting Paul's feelings for me anyway. He's just the type of man who likes to pay attention to women. He knows we like that, when we're being listened to."

"Huh?" he asks.

"Very funny, Addison. Now I've been out of circulation for a while so you are going to have to help me out here."

She drags him over to the desk and sits him down in his chair while she sits on the edge and crosses her arms over her chest. She asks slyly, "Are we really going to Tahoe? Just us? For the weekend? Exactly how much investigating are you planning on doing?"

He looks her up and down. "Well, since we probably won't be able to make any appointments until Monday morning I'll probably spend the weekend investigating your body. Should I have Annie make us reservations at one of those 'adult' motels I know you love so much?"

She wrinkles her nose. "Not unless I can wipe the place down with Lysol first."

Then she suggests, "I do have an idea that might be kind of fun though. Why don't we drive the roadster up there. It's only a day's drive. We could leave early, be there by tomorrow night, spend all day Sunday exploring the lake and start fresh on the case Monday morning. We've never been to Tahoe together, and it's a very romantic place."

"Sounds like the perfect plan, little woman." He takes her hand and looks deeply into her eyes. "The only part that needs clarification is that it sounds to me like you've been there before. Am I right?"

"Well, there was this one time..." she lowers her eyes so she won't be looking into his face now.

"Ski weekend with your girlfriends?"

She shakes her head.

"Modeling assignment?"

She shakes her head again.

"Summer camp?"

She looks up, shaking her head guiltily.

Not the space man!" David yells, mock horror on his face.

She throws her arms in the air. "You had to ask! 

But I don't recall much about the lake--"

"Never made it out of the room, huh," he kids.

"That's not what I meant and you know it, you jerk. It was a long time ago!" 

She leans down, and sits in his lap. Seductively she says, "Besides, I'll be seeing it through different eyes now because I'll be with the only man I've ever loved."

"Are we bringing your dad?" he asks.

She jumps up, totally infuriated now, and he's loving every minute of it.

"You love doing this to me, don't you? Getting me all flustered and angry--"

"I can't help it; you make it so easy. Come on, Honey. Let's go home and pack some clean underwear for this romantic magical murder mystery tour. I'll have _Annie_ make us reservations somewhere nice."

Before they exit David's office, he stops, takes her hand and she turns to him, still a bit upset. He says nothing, just looks at her, strokes her face. She lets out a tense breath and closes her eyes, still hot and bothered by his touch after all this time together.

"Are we ok, Blondie?" he asks quietly.

She opens her eyes and gazes at him intensely. "Oh yeah, we're ok."

"Good. I miss the kids. Let's go take them and your folks out to lunch before we leave for the lake tomorrow."

She's stunned since she was expecting some lewd comment instead of a nice offer of lunch with the children.

Then he whispers in her ear, "And about the trip, on second thought, _I'll_ pack clean underwear. You pack your dirty underwear. Or maybe we shouldn't pack _any_ underwear."

She's shaking her head, walking out of the office.

"What did I say?" he yells after her.

***

The next morning we see Maddie and David driving down the freeway in the roadster with the top down, laughing and carrying on like two kids on their first date. David is singing all the "road trip" songs he knows at the top of his lungs. We hear _Radar Love, Low Rider, I Can't Drive 55. _When Maddie can't stand it any more she starts pushing buttons on the stereo until she finds Johnny Mathis singing _Misty._

"That's more like it." She hums as she puts her head on his shoulder.

__

Look at Me

I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree

and I feel like I'm clinging to a cloud 

I cant understand

I get misty just holding your hand

Walk my way

and a thousand violins begin to play

or it might be the sound of your hello

that music that I hear

I get misty the moment your near

You can say that you're leading me on

but it's just what I want you to do

don't you notice how hopelessly I'm lost 

that's why I'm following you

On my own

would I wander through this wonderland alone

never knowing my right foot from my left

my hat from my glove

I'm too misty 

and too much in love

Although David is obviously having a great time, he's somewhat distracted and looking in the rearview mirror more often than he needs to. Maddie finally asks him what's going on.

"I don't know, I just have a weird feeling. Like someone's following us."

"David this is a major freeway, there are _lots_ of people following us. Besides you don't feel weird to me." she giggles.

"Hey Goldilocks, leave the one-liners to the professionals," he says, looking in the mirror again.

"Sweetheart, you need to watch the road in _front_ of us if you want to get us to Tahoe in one piece."

"Sorry. I guess I must be paranoid. 

Hey, that was great of McCain to get us a friend's cabin to stay in while we're there."

"Yes, it was. See I told you that you were misinterpreting his feelings for me. I wish you'd give him a chance. I think you two could be friends."

"Yeah, right. We have so much in common. Maybe we could share you."

"Idiot."

The chitchat continues as they travel up the freeway, unaware that David's _sixth sense _(no pun intended) is correct. 

A car that is staying about five car lengths behind them has been following them since they left home.

****

END PART III


	4. Chapter 4

Play Moonlighting For Me ****

Play Moonlighting For Me

Part IV

__

I've been with you before,

I'll be with you again

I'll come back for more, yeah

The story has a strange ending

--Stevie Nicks

Maddie and David arrive at a house overlooking Lake Tahoe. It sits up on a mountainside, giving them a view of almost the entire alpine lake.

"My God have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" Maddie exclaims as she drops her suitcase and walks toward the wall of windows facing a pristine cobalt body of water.

"Once or twice," David murmurs as he comes up from behind, wraps his arms around her and starts kissing her neck.

Then he looks up.

"Wow," is all he can say.

They are looking at a postcard view of Tahoe at sunset, glistening in the pines high in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range.

"No wonder people come here. Even I'm impressed," he says.

Maddie turns around in his arms to face him. "Why don't we unpack a few things, run down to that little store we passed on the way up here, and make a romantic dinner tonight," she suggests.

"What, so you can take advantage of me? I don't think so lady. I'm keeping my virtue intact."

"Addison, your virtue was broken to pieces years ago. Give it up and let me show you what this mountain air can do for us." She kisses him deeply.

"Well, if you insist. But please be gentle."

She rolls her eyes for at least the millionth time since they've met. 

Later in the evening we see them sitting in front of a floor to ceiling fireplace with a crackling fire, drinking a bottle of wine. All the lights are out, and there's definitely romance in the mountain air.

"This _cabin_ is really incredible. I could get used to living up here," David announces.

"Yeah, I'd pay to see you driving that little roadster through twenty feet of snow in the winter." Maddie laughs.

"Ok , so maybe I'm a city boy, but wouldn't it be great to have a place up here? Gracie and A.J. would love it."

Her expression turns melancholy at the mention of their names. "I miss them," she sighs. "It would be wonderful to come up here with them sometime, under better circumstances. Speaking of which, have you even thought about what we're really here for since we've arrived?"

"Yes, I have given it _some_ thought. I even made a few calls while you were at the store. I wasn't able to get hold of Olivia Chase, Esquire, but I talked to her answering service and she'll be contacting us tomorrow. I also called the cops and spoke with a Lieutenant Woodall. We'll be seeing him on Monday."

"Well, you've been a busy little beaver, haven't you. After that long drive and all those difficult phone calls I think a little R & R is in order." She puts down her wine glass and takes his from his hand , moves to his lips, and kisses him gently.

"Why don't you lie down right here and I'll massage your back."

He lies face down on the floor, and she climbs on to his back and starts rubbing his neck. 

He turns his head around and declares, "I could use a massage somewhere other than my neck."

"All in good time, sir." she smiles seductively as he turns back around and closes his eyes.

After a few minutes of massage, she bends down to whisper in his ear. "Relaxed?"

"If I was any more relaxed, I wouldn't have a pulse. This feels great, Honey."

Unexpectedly her head darts up and she stops rubbing.

"Oh, don't stop now. Unless you're ready for me to turn over."

"David, ssshhhhhh."

"What?" 

"David, shut up! I just heard a noise outside."

"It was probably only a raccoon or a deer." Then he starts squirming under her weight, "or a bear or a mountain lion..."

"Well, whatever it was, it stopped now. No, there it is again. Do you think we should check it out?" she asks nervously.

He finally pushes her off him and sits up. "No, I don't think we should check it out! What ever it is, it's out there and we're safe and warm in here. I'd like to keep it that way."

"Scared of a little raccoon, hey big guy?" She gets up and starts to move toward the front door.

"Hold on. It's pitch black out there. You're not going out there... without a flashlight," he grins, passing her a flashlight he found earlier beside the fireplace. He assumes she has no intention of going out into the wilderness alone, but he'll play along and see how far she goes.

She looks at him stubbornly. "My hero." Grabbing the flashlight, her hand goes around the doorknob.

"Wait! You aren't really going out there? Ok, ok, if you're _that_ sure you heard something, I'll check it out. But you owe me big time."

He goes over to his briefcase and removes a pistol, which he loads with a clip. Then he takes the flashlight from her and proceeds to the door.

"Wait for me, my lady!" he says like a knight in shining armor going off to battle. He grabs her and kisses her hard on the lips.

"David. I really did hear something outside. Be serious for once. And be careful."

"I'll be right back."

He goes through the door into a moonless night, with nothing but pine trees in every direction. He turns on the flashlight and slowly pans it around the trees. Seeing and hearing nothing, he moves around to the back of the house, where the garbage cans are. He knows that sometimes animals will go through them looking for food and he wants to make sure the lids are on tight. They are. He moves slowly and deliberately, pointing the flashlight in the direction he's walking, but holding the cocked gun at his side. Jeez, this is a huge house, he thinks as he slowly makes his way back around. 

His eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, he notices a black hole in the middle of the house. As he shines the flashlight there, he sees it's a side door to the garage and it's gaping open. Shit, I didn't notice that door the first time I came this way, he considers. Now he starts to become a little concerned. He lifts the gun up and moves toward the door. He goes through it and shines the flashlight all around the garage, even up into the rafters. All he sees is the roadster and the usual garage stuff. He enters the house through the garage and breathes a sigh of relief.

"Maddie! No lions or tigers or bears, oh my!" 

As he proceeds back into the great room he starts singing, "It was just your imagination, once again, running away with you..."

Not seeing her beside the fire, he moves around the house, shining the flashlight in all the corners of the darkness.

"Yo, Maddie! You can come out now. Olly olly oxen free! Come on, Maddie. We were just getting something going here. Come out, come out where ever you are!" 

Now he's getting a little irritated and a little scared.

He starts turning on all the lights in the house. He sees an overstuffed chair by the front door laying on it's side. Then he notices the front door hanging wide open.

He runs to the door, calling her name desperately now. He stops for a moment as he hears the faint sound of a car starting and driving away.

He runs back into the house and picks up the phone to call 911.

***

The next scene opens in the Tahoe house, three police cars with lights flashing sitting in front of it.

David, inside, is trying to explain what he thinks happened to his wife. He's getting more out of control as four officers look at him doubtfully.

"McCain! M -C, capital C- A- I-N. Paul. You got it? He lives up here, you guys have been investigating him for the murder of his wife. He set us up in this house. He's got the hots for _my_ wife. I haven't been able to reach him at his place in San Francisco or here. He's missing, she's missing. What -- am I talking to dead people here?" (again, no pun intended. Ok, well, maybe.)

"Mr. Addison, calm down. We're doing everything we can to find your wife. Believe me it's much more likely that she went for a walk in the forest and got lost. We'll have a search and rescue team come out in the morning with search dogs. At least it's summer, the temperatures are warm and she should be in no danger of exposure."

"She's from _Los_ _Angeles_! She's not going to take a stroll in the woods at night."

"Stranger things have happened, sir. Some people are so captivated by the beauty here they go off and do things they never thought they would."

David realizes that he's not going to get anywhere with the police tonight. He kicks them out of the house, then calls Bert in LA.

"Yeah?" Bert answers the phone groggily.

"Bert, it's Dave. We have a big problem. Maddie has disappeared and I think our secret squirrel, Mr. McCain has something to do with it. I need you to check his hotel and see when he checked out and find out where he's gone, if he rented a car, took a plane, whatever." 

Bert is very alert now. "I'm on it, Dave."

"And Bert, it's very important that we keep this quiet. I don't want my family hearing about this on the evening news."

"Yes, of course. But Dave, why would McCain kidnap her? Is he nuts or what?"

"That's something I can't think about right now. Just try to get a line on this guy, ok?"

"Yeah. I'll be in touch."

They hang up and David is feeling all alone in the world, in a strange house in a strange place not knowing where Maddie is but knowing in his gut that she is in terrible danger.

He sits on the couch and buries his face in his hands. Then he looks up at the huge darkness outside the window.

"Maddie, where are you?"

***

Maddie wakes up to a pounding headache. She feels nauseated and has a metallic taste in her mouth. She must have been drugged. She tries to adjust her eyes to the darkness and figure out where she is. Then she realizes she's blindfolded as well. She comprehends that she's lying on a bed, her hands are tied behind her, her feet are secured to the bed posts and there is duct tape over her mouth. She can't remember anything from the time David went outside to check on the noise. 

Oh God David. He must be going crazy right now. My kids! What would happen to them if...

Just then she hears footsteps and a door opens and someone walks in the room where she is. 

Maddie starts mumbling under the tape. The person approaches her and pulls the tape off very quickly.

"Ow!" Maddie yells.

"Who are you and where are we? Where's David? What do you want?" she manages to get out before the person shoves some bitter tasting liquid in her mouth and quickly replaces the tape.

Then the person gently touches her hair and runs a finger across her jaw line, very lovingly. There's a familiar scent around her but she can't place it. She's quickly losing consciousness.

The door closes and the silence engulfs her again.

David, where are you? she thinks as her awareness drifts away.

***

David's head whips up at the sound of the phone ringing. His eyes are bloodshot and sunk in shadow. His face is slack, as if all the muscles have collapsed from exhaustion.

"Hello!"

"Dave, it's Bert. Just wanted to let you know there's no sign of McCain yet. He checked out of his hotel early yesterday and hasn't been seen since."

David can hear the sound of helicopters and dogs barking outside. He knows they are wasting their time looking for her in the woods.

"Thanks."

"What's going on there? Do I hear a helicopter?"

"Yeah. They are totally barking up the wrong tree thinking she wandered off into the woods. Maddie would never do that."

"Is there anything else I can do right now?"

"No, I guess just keep looking for him."

"I will and Agnes sends her love."

"Thanks Bert."

"I'll talk to you soon."

David hangs up and goes outside to see how "the search" is going. He's going stir crazy sitting in the house but the police have requested that he stay here. They don't want to have to rescue another lost tourist. As David goes outside he runs smack into a TV news crew with microphones and cameras in his face.

"Get them out of here!" he yells to the police, but it's too late. They already have footage of him and the house and a shot of the roadster sitting in the garage with the license plate clearly visable.

He grabs at the camera but the reporter struggles it out of his hands. The police force them to leave, and they do, yelling about freedom of the press the entire time.

David rushes back into the house and goes for the phone to call Maddie's parents.

"Hello?" Virginia Hayes breathlessly answers the phone after six rings.

"David! How's Tahoe? We were just talking about you two. We are hanging out at the pool. Can you hear the kids yelling? David?"

"Virginia, listen to me. I have some bad news and I need you to keep it from A.J. and Grace."

"What is it? You're really scaring me."

"Maddie is missing. I went outside to check on a noise last night and when I came back she was gone. I have a very bad feeling about this and something about it may be on the news later. So please keep the kids away from the TV. Can you do that?"

"Yes. Find her, David. You can't let anything happen to her. None of us would be able to stand it if anything ever happened to her."

"I know. I promise I'll get her back safe and sound." He shuts his eyes tightly as he hears the children in the background laughing with their grandfather.

How can he promise her mother that he'll find her when he doesn't have a clue himself? And how he can do anything for her sitting around here? He's feeling totally helpless when there is a knock at the door.

He opens it to a tall, buff woman. For an instant he thinks, Maddie? then recognizes it's Olivia Chase, but she looks completely different. She has dyed her hair blond and styled it in a short bob. She's not wearing the horn rimmed glasses any longer and she's dressed in madras walking shorts and a Lacoste shirt. But she still wears too much perfume.

"Mr. Addison? Remember me? I'm Paul McCain's attorney, Olivia. I talked to him this morning and --"

"This morning! Where the hell is he? What's he done with her?" 

"Mr. Addison! I'm sure your distress has something to do with all these police but whatever has happened I can assure you that Paul had nothing to do with it," she bellows.

"Spoken like a true shyster. How did you get through the gauntlet anyway?" he asks, nodding toward all the police standing around.

"I work with these guys. They know me and I guess they assumed I know you. Now, would you like to tell me what's going on and I'll put you in touch with Paul."

David goes over last night's events and his suspicions about Paul while marching back and forth in front of the fireplace. 

The attorney listens carefully to every word and watches him intensely.

"Ok, listen," she explains. "Paul got up here last night. I advised him to return. He's being indicted for murder Monday morning. He knew you would be up here and he wanted to help with your investigation. He refused to go back to the house where Laura died so he is staying at a hotel on the south shore. It's really as simple as that. I've been in constant contact with him. I doubt he's had time to perpetrate a kidnapping."

"I want to see him now," David demands.

"Fine. Let's go. Let the police do their job. They'll find her."

"Yeah, right. Let's hope they find her alive or I'll kill McCain."

"Mr. Addison, I'm an officer of the court. I'm compelled to tell the police about any threats my client receives," she asserts matter-of-factly.

"Tell them. And it's not a threat. I _will_ kill him if anything happens to Maddie."

She sighs. "Let's go."

***

Maddie awakens again with the same pounding in her head. She gets a wave of nausea which takes every ounce of self control she can muster to make go away. If she vomits with the tape over her mouth, she'll suffocate. She can't die here like this! She moans as she concentrates on her family: 

David on their wedding day, looking wonderful in his tux, gazing at her lovingly, reciting his vows with tears in his eyes 

A.J. as a curly haired, towheaded infant sleepily nursing at her breast

Gracie as a four year old in the tub belting out James Brown's _I Feel Good . _

Christmases, birthday parties, family barbeques, Disneyland, all the momentous occasions over the years.

These are her best memories and they will have to keep her going until she can be with them again. 

Her resolve to get out of this gets stronger and she starts rubbing her head against the wall until she manages to slip off the blindfold. She see's she's in a very small bedroom with no furniture and heavy drapes over the windows. She can see daylight peeking through. She hears nothing but silence.

She turns onto her side and begins trying to free her hands and feet from the duct tape. All the squirming quickly tires her out, so she rests for a minute then starts again.

***

Meanwhile David and Olivia have arrived at Paul's hotel room.

Paul opens the door and David pushes in, grabs him and pins him against the wall by his shirt.

"Where is she?" he roars.

"I don't know where she is, David, I swear. I would never hurt Maddie," Paul insists.

"I don't believe you, McCain. Maybe it's one of those 'if I can't have her nobody can' scenarios, maybe you didn't do the actual abduction but I know this has something to do with you." 

"David, please. Let's try to work together to figure this out. I can't believe it either."

David releases him and walks over to the window.

"I keep thinking she's out there somewhere. She's still alive. If she wasn't I'd know it. But I can't find her. I don't know where to look. God, I never should have let her do this. She should be home with Gracie and A.J. If anything happens to her, what am I supposed to tell them?"

Paul tells his attorney, "Olivia, let's go to your office. All my case material is there. Maybe there's a clue in there somewhere." He turns to David.

"I think you're right, David. This probably has something to do with me."

"Paul, I don't agree. I'm sure this is either a random act or like the police think, a case of getting lost in the woods," Olivia says.

"Olivia, stop acting like my attorney. For once, David and I agree. Let's go."

***

Maddie has been fully awake for over an hour now and has been able to free one of her feet. She's exhausted and dripping with sweat from her struggle, but what keeps her going are David's and her children's faces in her mind.

Suddenly, she hears a door slam. She stops struggling and listens. Soon she hears voices, more than two people she thinks. She wonders if her kidnapper has accomplices or if maybe these are voices of people who can help her. Well, you'll never know unless you try, Maddie.

She struggles to turn her body to the wall and begins kicking it as hard as she can with her free foot.

***

David, Paul and Olivia are in the attorney's office, which also doubles as her residence. It is an old two story house in Incline Village, a small town on the south shore of the lake. 

"Maybe we should start with Arthur Boyd's business associates," Paul suggests.

"I don't know. That seems like too much of a stretch to me. Why would any of them want Maddie?" David wonders. 

"Maybe like Maddie suggested, they want to frame me. Making her disappear could lead the cops to suspecting me for two murders," Paul concludes.

David flinches when he hears Paul say "murder", but he decides it's as good a place to start as any.

Hearing a distant knocking sound David looks up from the file he is checking.

"Probably woodpeckers," Olivia states.

"Oh. Alright, you get started collecting names, and I'd better check in with the cops." He grabs his cellphone from his pocket and starts pushing buttons. "I can't get this thing to work. Maybe it's all the pine trees. I'm going outside."

He exits the office and sees a staircase leading up to the second floor residence. Maybe if I go a little higher up I can get through he thinks.

He climbs the stairs, noticing the knocking getting louder. It doesn't sound like a woodpecker, it sounds more like someone pounding on a wall.

David's eyes widen as he runs up the stairs and starts opening all the doors.

He sees another staircase at the end of the dark hall leading to an attic. The pounding is getting softer and less frequent as he moves closer.

He opens the attic door and sees Maddie lying on a bed facing the wall, kicking it listlessly with her foot.

She turns around at the sound of the door opening and sees him. She closes her eyes in gratitude to whatever force brought him here.

"mm mm mmmm," she mumbles under her gag. He runs to her, holds her, starts kissing her all over her face, then rips the tape off covering her mouth.

"Ow! Do I have any lips left?" she cries, then "My hero!" He kisses her and hurries to get her free of all the tape with his pocket knife. As soon as her arms are released, she embraces him.

"David, it's Olivia! I smelled her! How did you find me? Where are we?"

"We're in the secret squirrel's hideout, but I think I suspected the wrong squirrel until now."

Come on, I don't have my gun and I'm not sure if she has one, but I don't want to find out. Let's see if we can get out of here without being caught." Then he remembers his phone. He hits 911. "No service. God damn pine trees."

"David, I'm so weak. She drugged me with something. I think you'll need to help me."

He wraps her arms around his neck and starts to lift her off the bed. Maddie's head whips around and she screams.

David turns quickly to see Olivia Chase standing at the attic door with a gun pointed at them.

"Well, answers that question," David says, staring at Olivia's gun.

"Olivia, what the hell?" they hear Paul yelling from behind her.

"Stop!" she screams.

"I don't think she likes me, David," Maddie mutters.

"You think?"

Paul appears in the doorway. "Maddie! Olivia what are you doing?"

Olivia has the gun pointed directly at Maddie's heart as she sobs, "Stay back Paul, I'm an excellent shot. I love you. What is wrong with you? Why can't you see it? Why don't you want me?"

"Olivia, put down the gun. Let's talk about this."

Never taking her eyes or the gun off Maddie, she screams, "No! Why do you want her? She doesn't want you, she wants him. I know. I've watched them making love."

Maddie and David grimace at each other.

"I want to ask you before I kill her, what is it about her? Is it her looks? See, my hair's just like hers now."

"She's not even that pretty. Laura wasn't either. I asked her what kind of hold she had over you before I shot her but she wouldn't tell me." She looks pleadingly at Maddie.

"Oh my God, Olivia you killed Laura?" Paul cries.

"I told you I was an excellent shot. You were supposed to have an alibi that night and the police were supposed to think it was a burglary, but they didn't. I want you Paul. Laura didn't appreciate you. She used to tell me that you weren't a good lover. She said she didn't care about you."

"You're lying! Laura would never say those things," Paul shouts angrily.

"Steady, Paul. She's a little tense right now," David cautions him, holding his hands up in case she loosens up on the gun.

Olivia doesn't even notice what's going on around her now. She forgets about the gun in her hand for a moment and starts waving it between the three of them.

"I wanted you to look at me like you looked at Laura. I thought if she was gone, you would notice me and how much I've always loved you. Then in LA I saw you talking on the phone with _her_ and I saw the same look on your face." She raises the gun at Maddie again.

"Why not me? Why don't you look at me that way, Paul? I love you. But you love her."

"Gee McCain, haven't we played this scene with you before?" David asks calmly.

"Olivia, we can work this out. If you just put down the gun we can talk," Paul begs her.

"Why do you love her and not me?" she shrieks hysterically.

"Boy, she loves you, you love Maddie. I'm feeling a little left out here," David pops up.

"Shut up David. I don't think you're helping the situation," Maddie shushes him.

"Olivia, calm down. This is crazy." Paul is still trying to reason with her.

"She's not crazy. She's just been in a very bad mood for 30 years."

"David knock it off!"

Olivia is getting angry over his mockery and turns the gun on David.

At the split second the gun barrel turns away from Maddie, David lunges for it and he and Paul wrestle her to the floor and take the gun away from her.

"I'm calling the police," Paul mumbles as he looks disgustedly at Olivia lying in a ball on the floor, sobbing.

***

After calling home to the extreme relief of her folks, getting apologies from the police, and giving their statements, Maddie and David check into Harrah's Resort Hotel, where Paul has arranged for them to stay and rest before their trip home tomorrow. They arrive to a bottle of champagne chilling in a silver ice bucket and a huge fruit basket, compliments of Paul. He has also arranged for their luggage to be brought over from the house where they had hoped to be spending a romantic weekend alone. They are in a penthouse suite on the top floor of a four star hotel, but this time they don't check out the view. They both fall on to the king sized bed and fall asleep immediately. 

A few hours later, they wake up, take a shower and put on the plush bath robes the hotel gives their VIP guests. We see David, looking clean, rested and relaxed in the living room opening the champagne and munching on some grapes. Faith Hill's _Breathe _is playing softly in the background.

__

I can feel the magic floating in the air

being with you gets me that way

I watch the sunlight 

dance across your face

and I've 

never been this swept away

Maddie exits the bedroom with her hair in a towel, appreciating the way he looks in his robe, and hearing how fitting the lyrics of this song are for them. For a time she just stands there watching him struggle with the champagne cork, and everything they've been through recently begins to settle in. She feels overwhelmed with emotion. 

__

All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze

when I'm lying wrapped up in your arms

The whole world just fades away

the only thing I hear

is the beating of your heart

Her eyes begin to tear up. He turns around and sees her watching him.

"Some weekend, huh?" she says as she drops the towel to the floor and walks into his open arms. She places hers inside his robe and wraps them around his waist. They sway quietly for a moment listening to the song.

__

Caught up in the touch

slow and steady rush

Baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be

I can feel you breathe

Just breathe

"Yeah, when I said I wanted a little excitement in my life, having you kidnapped by a lunatic really wasn't part of the equation." He kisses the top of her head and closes his eyes. " What's wrong, Maddie? You look like you're going to cry."

"I can't figure out why she didn't just kill me the way she killed Laura."

"You know, this may sound weird, but the way she looked at you and how she had changed her hair and clothes makes me think she wanted to copy you, learn things from you, like how to make a man happy. I get the impression she didn't have much experience in that department," he explains. 

"But I'm sure at some point she would have done me in. I just love you and Grace and A.J. so much. When I think about how close we came to losing each other..."

She grips him tightly. "I'm also thinking about Paul. How awful when you're thinking 'happily ever after' with the person you love but then fate has other plans."

"God, I know, honey. I can't stop thinking about what could have happened if the crazy woman's gun had gone off this afternoon. One of us might not be here now." He shudders and takes her chin in his hand, holding her face close to his.

"My life would be over if I lost you."

Tears roll down her cheeks as she smiles up at him. "Hey, don't talk like that. I'm not going anywhere. Although, you have to admit, Paul hit the nail on the head when he said this could all end at any time. It did for him. This little episode has certainly made me appreciate my life more... and my man." She kisses his chest.

"Please don't mention that guy's name again. Twice, he's come into our lives and twice we almost got killed. I don't want to see if three's a charm. Plus, I still think he's got the hots for you."

"David, none of this was his fault. He couldn't help it that Olivia wanted him and killed his wife to get to him. Imagine how that must feel."

"Yeah, I guess. Ok, send him a thank you note for the room and a Christmas card but we're not working on anything for him ever again. If he ever calls us, just give him Lou LaSalle's number."

"_We're_ not working on anything. Who's we, Tarzan?"

He beams at her. "Well, I'm just thinking I don't want those fine investigative skills to go to waste. Any time you want to come back and do something around the office, even part-time, it's ok by me. Just no more murders, crazy women or Paul McCain."

"Are you saying you want to work with me again?" she asks, smiling.

"Maddie, I told you years ago I never get any better than when I'm with you. (That was some conversation in that laundromat.) I'd love to work with you again." 

"But what about Gracie and A.J.? And I don't have an office any more." 

"Well, I know how you feel about other people raising our kids, so we could look into opening our own Blue Moon Day Care Center down the hall. Isn't there a tax benefit in there somewhere? 

And about the office part-- we could share."

"Uh huh, and if we shared an office, how much work would get done, do you think?"

They grin at each other.

The camera pans to the floor where we see two white robes falling on to the carpet. 

__

I can feel the magic floating in the air

being with you gets me that way

I watch the sunlight 

dance across your face

and I've 

never been this swept away

All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze

when I'm lying wrapped up in your arms

The whole world just fades away

the only thing I hear

is the beating of your heart

Cause I can feel you breathe

It's washing over me

and suddenly I'm melting into you

there's nothing left to prove 

and baby all we need is just to be

Caught up in the touch

slow and steady rush

Baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be

I can feel you breathe

Just breathe

__

In a way I know my heart is waking up

as all the walls come tumbling down

Closer than I've ever felt before and I know

and you know there's no need for words right now...

Cause I can feel you breathe

It's washing over me

and suddenly I'm melting into you

there's nothing left to prove 

and baby all we need is just to be

Caught up in the touch

slow and steady rush

Baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be

I can feel you breathe

Just breathe

***

****

Epilogue

One week later, we see the Addison's backyard and they are having a pool party with the Violas and Maddie's parents. The children are in the pool slathered in sun screen and under the watchful eyes of six adults.

"So Bert," David asks, "what do you think of our idea?"

"Well, Dave, I think it's great. Maybe we could talk Agnes into coming back too."

"What, and fire our perfectly good receptionist?" Maddie exclaims.

"I don't know guys. I can't really take my eyes off those two. I've got my hands pretty full." Agnes points wearily at her sons attempting to drown each other in the pool.

"Hey, you two, knock it off!" Bert yells at his boys.

He approaches the pool where Mikey and Bert Jr. have arms around each other's necks and are flailing around, red faced and really looking like they might kill each other.

Mikey sees his father coming toward him, lets his brother go and starts splashing Bert furiously with water.

Bert returns to his seat with the grown-ups, drenched from head to toe, and looking totally dejected.

"I swear, if I didn't know any better, I'd think that kid doesn't even _like_ me," he snorts. 

Maddie and David look at each other out of the corners of their eyes.

Naaaaaahhhh...

****

THE END


End file.
